Breast Cancer Awareness in Pets

While everyone is sporting pink ribbons this month in honor of breast cancer awareness, many people don’t realize that pets can also suffer from the disease. Mammary gland tumors are common in dogs and cats, especially those that aren’t spayed or were spayed late in age. Mammary cancer effects dogs and cats in different ways:

Dogs:
– 25% (1 in 4) of un-spayed female dogs will get mammary cancer
– Most common in older female dogs
– Less than 50 percent of canine mammary tumors are malignant
– Spaying a dog before their first heat will reduce the chance of breast cancer to almost zero
– Most “at-risk” breeds: poodle, Brittany spaniel, English setter, pointer, fox terrier, cocker spaniel, Boston terrier
– Diagnosis: affected area will be red, swollen, feverish, and painful to the touch
– Early detection/prompt treatment can successfully treat even serious tumors. Look for small, firm pea-sized lumps in the breast tissue
– Surgical removal is the first treatment method and chemo is sometimes a secondary treatment, depending on the severity of the tumor

Cats:
– Less common in cats than dogs, 1/4000 will have mammary cancer
– Early spaying is the best prevention and also if a cat has had kittens they’re less likely to get it
– Around 90 percent of feline mammary tumors are malignant
– When cats get mammary cancer, they usually die
– Siamese cats and cats over the age of 10 are the most prone to mammary cancer
– Diagnosis: affected area will be painful to the touch, swollen, infected, and the cat may have a fever
– Surgical removal of the tumor and aggressive chemo is the recommended treatment, though it’s usually fatal anyway

Mammary exams for pets are important and early detection is key. Once your dog or cat is five years old, perform a mammary exam monthly. Gently feel the tissue under and around each nipple, “rolling” the tissue between your fingers. If you feel even a tiny lump, bring your pet to the veterinarian.